Old Time Citrus Raison Scones

 I don't think anyone can go past a good scone. I know i can't. Especially with Jam and Cream (when i could eat cream - i am now a lactose intolerant sufferer! Oh the pain of it all). When my husband and I travelled around Europe and made a stop in England for a few weeks & that was something we saw a lot of.... cute little tea houses serving tea time snacks starring beautifully made scones with jam and clotted cream... and including the best accompaniment... a good pot of tea.

I like the different varieties of scones that you can make as well. The possibilities are endless really, date scones, blueberry scones, pumpkin scones, savoury scones and these delicious little morsels...... Ole Time Citrus Raison Scones. Yum.

The key to any fabulous scone is sifting the flour twice to make it light and fluffy, stir the ingredients with a butter knife to combine the ingredients, when applying the milk glaze be careful not to let any touch the edges and a hot oven. Remember these simple tips and your in business for some fantastic scones!

{Download & Print Recipe}

Old Time Citrus Raison Scone

Ingredients:

150ml Milk

150ml Cream

1 Egg

3 Cups Self Raising Flour

3 Tablespoons Sugar

Pinch Salt

1 Cup Raisons

Juice of 1x Orange

Zest of 1 x Orange

Milk for Glazing

Method:

~ Preheat oven to 200 - 220 degrees. 

~ Zest orange in a bowl set aside, juice the same orange and toss with the raisons in a separate bowl and let it macerate for 20-30 min.

~ In a bowl add milk, cream and egg. Whisk together and set aside.

~ Sift flour and salt together in a separate bowl, add sugar and zest.

~ Make a hole in the dry ingredients and add wet ingredients & orange juice and raison mixture  working quite quickly use a metal knife to stir the ingredients through.

~ Place dough on a floured surface and carefully roll out to be about 1/2 inch thick. 

~ Using a scone cutter cut out and place on a lined tray.

~ Brush tops of scones with extra milk (*Be careful to not get any on the edges of the scone - this will inhibit the rising of the scone)

~ Cook for about 15 - 20 Min or until golden brown.

Simply Tea Selections

I would have to say one of the best tea's from our range that just fits with these scones is either English Breakfast Supreme or Earl Grey Premium. These are classic blends going back centuries and you can't go past a tried and true combination! These tea's are traditionally served in the quaint English tea houses in England with the famous scones, jam and clotted cream! Our Earl Grey Premium blend is classically scented with natural Bergamot oil which gives a refreshing, lightly citrus flavour. Our English Breakfast Supreme blend is a traditional blend of the finest Assam and Ceylon teas, producing a delicate aromatic blend with lots of golden tips

Early Grey Premium - $9.00/100g or $2 for 10g Sample Bag

 English Breakfast Supreme - $8.00/100g or $2 for 10g Sample Bag

Why not order one of these tea's and whip up a batch of these delicious scones for afternoon tea!??

Visit Us At: The Simply Tea Shop ~ "For The Love Of Tea" ~

Black Forest Chocolate Cake....

It was my husband's birthday yesterday. I don't know if he would like me sharing his age to the blog world so i won't but a Big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my dear husband. His request for his birthday cake was this delectable Black Forest Chocolate Cake. It's his favourite. Mind you i made i last year for his birthday so i wonder if it is going to become a tradition in our house every year to make a Black Forest Cake!? I don't mind. 

There is something theraputic about creating a masterpiece (when it turns out). Sifting and measuring ingredients for the chocolate cake, smelling the aroma's of it cooking in the oven.

Beating runny cream into something soft and pillowy (is that even a word?) and the cherries. The cherries are the crowning glory of this cake. Adding cherry juice to a sauce pan with a nip of cherry brandy, sugar and cornflour and creating a mouthwatering cherry delight. 

Cutting a beatufully cooked cake into layers can be tricky but with a little patience and finesse -voila- you in business to start assembling your masterpiece. After layering soft whipped cream, boozy cherry mixture and with a sprinkling of grated chocolate to finish off the piece de resistance you are now the proud creator of a mouthwatering Black Forest Chocolate Cake.

{Download & Print Recipe}

 Black Forest Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
1 x 470g pkt chocolate cake mix (or your fave choc cake recipe) –
1 x 680g jar morello cherries
2 Tablespoon caster sugar
1 Tbsp cornflour
600ml thickened cream
60 ml cherry brandy essence (or brandy essence)
2 Tbsp boiling water
2 Tbsp caster sugar, extra
100g dark cooking chocolate, coarsely grated.

Method:
1. Prepare and back the chocolate cake. Cool completely. Use a large serrated knife and cut cake horizontally into 3 even layers (2 if your cake is not thick enough to do so)
2. Drain the cherries, reserving 160ml of the juice. Reserve 10 cherries to decorate. Place the remaining cherries and reserved liquid into a saucepan. Add sugar and cornflour. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring until the mixture boils and thickens. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill.
3. Use an electric beater and beat the cream in a bowl until firm peaks form.
4. Place the cherry brandy essence, boiling water and extra sugar into a jug and stir until sugar dissolves.
5. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate and drizzle over half the cherry brandy mixture. Spread a thin layer of cream and half the cherry mixture. Repeat with remaining cake, cherry brandy mixture, cherry mixture and cream, finishing with a layer of cake.
6. Spread some of the remaining cream over the top and side of cake. Sprinkle the chocolate evenly over the top of the cake and gently press over the side to coat (note: i didn’t do this and it still looked good)
7. Place the remaining cream in a piping bag fitted with a 1cm fluted nozzle and pipe rosettes around the edge of the cake.
8. Arrange the reserved cherries between the cream rosettes. Cut into wedges to serve. (I found it cut best after a period of time in the fridge)

*can be made a day ahead - store in an airtight container in the fridge

Simply Tea Selections

Why not try something different with this cake such as our Rooibos Chai. It is a 'Super grade' Rooibos herb leaf, with a soft, sweet aromatic taste, blended with warm spices cinnamon, cardamon, cloves and ginger. 

ORDER TODAY!

Not Sure What Rooibos is?

 The name Rooibos comes from the Afrikaans word for red bush. It is produced from the leaf of the South African herb shrub, not the camellia sinensis plant like all other teas. Rooibos is grown only in a small area in the region of the Western Cape Province in Southern Africa, which is harvested during the summer months.

Is it good for me?

 Rooibos is becoming more popular in western countries particularly among the health conscious consumers, due to is high level of antioxidants, lack of caffeine and low tannin levels. Rooibos is known to assist with nervous tension, allergies and digestive problems. Traditional medicine uses of Rooibos in South Africa include: alleviating infantile colic, allergies, asthma and dermalogical problems.

You can purchase our Rooibos Tea through our Online Teashop. We have two flavours of Rooibos - Original or Chai. You can purchase 100g  Pouch of Original Rooibos Tea for $11.00 or $12.00/100g for Rooibos Chai. We also have $2.00 sample bags available for purchase for those wanting to give it a try.

Visit Us At: The Simply Tea Shop ~ "For The Love Of Tea" ~

What I Whipped Up..... Linky Party

For all those baking, cooking, roasting, grilling queens (and kings) i have started a 

"What I Whipped Up" Linky Party.

The rules of the linky party are all you simply have to do is add The Simply Tea blog button to your blog and click on the "Click here your next" below to add your masterpiece and follow the prompts. Easy Peasy!

I hope this gives an opportunity to those who love to cook to show there delights to the world. So the more the merrier!!! Tell your friends and fellow blog lovers.

Visit Us At: The Simply Tea Shop ~ "For The Love Of Tea" ~